Origin
Nicholasville, KY
Morning in Nicholasville on Saturday
Local time
10:43 AM
EDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Nicholasville, KY to Owenton, KY
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 11m
Distance
55.6 mi
89 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 6m
★
6 AM
1h 12m
8 AM
1h 23m
10 AM
1h 16m
12 PM
1h 15m
3 PM
1h 16m
5 PM
1h 23m
8 PM
1h 8m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Nicholasville, KY
Wikimedia Commons
Owenton, KY
Vietnam Hidden Light
Trip Overview
The drive from Nicholasville, KY to Owenton, KY covers 55.6 miles and takes about 1h 11m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on US 127, Frankfort Road, Keene Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 24.2 miles on US 127. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.69 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 11m. Total distance: 55.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 11m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (44%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Nicholasville, KY to Owenton, KY covers 55.6 miles and takes about 1h 11m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 22 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 127 is the longest continuous segment at about 24.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near KY 169 / West Oak Street.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 11m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (KY 169 / West Oak Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (KY 169 / North 3rd Street): Navigation decision point; at 13.3 miles (KY 33 / Troy Pike): Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 8 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
KY 169 / West Oak Street
Turn left onto KY 169 / West Oak Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.3 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
KY 169 / North 3rd Street
At end of road, turn right onto KY 169 / North 3rd Street
Navigation decision point
5
13.3 mi into trip
|
~19m in
|
KY 33 / Troy Pike
At end of road, turn right onto KY 33 / Troy Pike
Navigation decision point
5
30.3 mi into trip
|
~42m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
4
54.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 10m in
|
US 127; KY 22; KY 227 / South Main Street
At end of road, turn left onto US 127; KY 22; KY 227 / South Main Street
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 127 | 24.2 mi | 27m |
| Frankfort Road | 6 mi | 6m |
| Keene Road | 5.3 mi | 7m |
| Pinckard Pike | 4.5 mi | 6m |
| Versailles Road | 3.3 mi | 5m |
| Keene-Versailles Road | 2.1 mi | 2m |
| Troy Pike | 2.1 mi | 3m |
| South Main Street | 1.9 mi | 3m |
Longest stretch:
US 127
— 24.2 mi, about 27m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Nicholasville, KY and Owenton, KY.
1
Start on US 27 Business
0.1 mi
·
20 sec
·
North Main Street
2
Turn left onto KY 169
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
West Oak Street
3
At end of road, turn right onto KY 169
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
North 3rd Street
4
Continue on KY 169
5.1 mi
·
7 min
·
Keene Road
5
Continue on KY 169; KY 1267
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
·
Keene Road
6
Turn left onto KY 169
0.4 mi
·
39 sec
·
Pinchard Pike
7
Continue on KY 169
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Keene-Versailles Road
8
Continue on KY 169
4.5 mi
·
6 min
·
Pinckard Pike
9
At end of road, turn right onto KY 33
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
Troy Pike
10
Continue on KY 33
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
South Main Street
11
Continue on US 60 Business; US 62
0.6 mi
·
51 sec
·
Frankfort Street
12
Continue on US 60 Business; US 62
472 ft
·
7 sec
·
US 60 Business; US 62
13
Turn left onto US 60; US 62
6.0 mi
·
6 min
·
Frankfort Road
14
Continue on US 60
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Frankfort Highway
15
Continue on US 60
3.3 mi
·
5 min
·
Versailles Road
16
Continue on US 421
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Wilkinson Boulevard
17
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
18
Keep slight left at fork
410 ft
·
11 sec
19
Turn left onto US 127
24 mi
·
27 min
·
US 127
20
At end of road, turn left onto US 127; KY 22; KY 227
0.6 mi
·
49 sec
·
South Main Street
21
Turn left onto KY 22
0.4 mi
·
41 sec
·
West Seminary Street
22
Arrive at destination
KY 22
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 27.8 mi from Nicholasville, KY · 38m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
28 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 27.8 miles from Nicholasville, KY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Owenton, KY
The final approach into Owenton, KY usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.69 one way
$17.38 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $9.54 | $19.09 |
| premium | $4.89 | $10.70 | $21.40 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.28 | $24.55 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.7 | 0 | $5.84 | $2.67 |
| Efficient EV | 13.9 | 0 | $4.87 | $2.22 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22.2 | 0 | $7.78 | $3.56 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (63% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Owenton, KY
Morning in Owenton on Saturday
Local time
10:43 AM
EDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
1 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 11m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Nicholasville, KY to Owenton, KY covers 55.6 miles and takes about 1h 11m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 127, Frankfort Road, Keene Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 27.8 miles from Nicholasville, KY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.69 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This is a straightforward 1h 11m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (KY 169 / West Oak Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (KY 169 / North 3rd Street): Navigation decision point; at 13.3 miles (KY 33 / Troy Pike): Navigation decision point.
The route from Nicholasville, KY to Owenton, KY does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Camp Nelson National Monument.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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